Procrastination – Removing Distractions

Why It Matters?

For most people, procrastination is not a function of laziness. It’s a function of issues of prioritization and our tendency to want that immediate dopamine reward at the expense of longer-term benefits. This is why trying to tell ourselves to “Just stop procrastinating and get things done” doesn’t work like we’d hope. Acknowledging our tendency to be distracted and how those distractions mess up our focus and ability to prioritize allows us to create a space and environment where we are more likely to thrive to complete the tasks in front of us.

How do I Remove Distractions from my Study Environment?

The following is a list of the most common distractions students face and suggestions on how to handle them:

1. Phone: Set your phone to Do Not Disturb. Both Android and Apple have ways to set screen time limits or timers for apps. Put your phone on silent and place it away from your study/work space. If that’s not enough, place your phone on silent and put it in another room so it’s out of sight, out of mind.
2. Laptop: This is harder because so much of work for classes outside of the classroom takes place on your laptop so you’ll need to have this available. However, there are things you can do such as downloading a lockdown or other limiter extension for your browser. Set up time limits and specific locks on the websites that are your biggest distractions. When you are working on your laptop, close all other tabs that are open. If you leave a distracting tab open, it’s easy to switch over to it.
3. Study/Work Space: Find a space with fewer distractions. If your room has a TV, game consoles, etc there, it will be harder to study with the distractions right in front of your face. Either move to a less distracting space in your apartment/dorm/house or go out somewhere to an environment with fewer distractions for you. ASU has many libraries with quiet study rooms where students can go to focus.
4. Friends/Roommates: Talk to them about the goals you are trying to accomplish and the work you have in front of you. They may be willing to help hold you accountable. They may also want to set aside time to study. Many students have found success studying with their peers as it creates a shared space where the focus is on the work at hand knowing you all will get to hang out afterward.

When Should I Apply These Strategies?

Anytime you have a task that doesn’t provide an immediate dopamine reward (homework, studying, household chores, etc), these strategies can be used to isolate your attention to allow for an increased focus on the task in front of you.

Action: 

Follow the bullets above to identify the best study environment for you. Create that space and try it out on the next task you have that you’ve been procrastinating. Removing those distractions may be uncomfortable at first because you are making changes. It’s ok if you find it challenging, but with time and practice, having less distractions in your study environment will make it easier and easier to focus on those tasks and reduce procrastination’s impact on your life.